Landscape Management, November 2018

Grow with Grunder BY MARTY GRUNDER The author is president and CEO of Grunder Landscaping Co and The Grow Group based in Dayton Ohio Reach him at marty@ growgroupinc com We sacrifice the future for the immediate and then never get ahead So do your future a favor by taking some time this month to think about what you want to accomplish next year and formulate a plan LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET NOVEMBER 2018 52 BROUGHT TO YOU BY 4 steps for planning to succeed I n a class I took years ago at Aileron a learning center for entrepreneurs the facilitator told us again and again All planning is good He said it so frequently I wrote it down in my notebook and underlined it not realizing at the time how important this simple bit of advice would prove Its now 20 years later and while the older I get the less I relate to absolutes this is one I keep going back to Why Because simply put planning improves your chances for success And yet many companies in our industry dont do it enough Like entrepreneurs the world over we tend to prize action over deliberation We often feel like theres not enough time in the day to do all that we need to We sacrifice the future for the immediate and then never get ahead So do your future a favor by taking some time this month to think about what you want to accomplish next year and formulate a plan Here are four steps to help you get started 1 Review the past year What went well What didnt Which jobs were the most profitable and which ones were losers Last month I shared with you the efforts we were taking at Grunder Landscaping Co to retain valued clients but just as important is figuring out which clients you dont want to work with again Conventional wisdom tells us the customer is always right but that doesnt mean youre always right for the customer Did you have clients in 2018 who didnt pay their invoices on time who didnt treat your crews with respect or who were never satisfied Is it worth it for you to continue working with them In my experience its not Make note of all these factors what went well and what didnt your profits and losses good clients and bad and plan for what your company will do more of less of or differently next year to grow 2 Set goals for yourself What do you need to accomplish in 2019 for you to feel successful Its obviously crucial for your company to have a revenue goal youre shooting for but its also important to think beyond that number How can you get better as a leader How can you improve your company culture How can you develop your people Write down your goals and keep them someplace where theyll always be nearby whether its in a journal on an app on your phone or on a piece of paper you tack to the wall above your desk And then tell someone about them your significant other a mentor a friend or even your team if its appropriate Sharing your goals with others helps make you accountable for them and can keep you motivated to keep going when the going gets tough 3 Break your goals down into steps Now that youre officially committed look at your goals and break down each one into steps For example if your goal is to improve as a leader identify three actions youll take in 2019 that will help get you there whether its reading a book on the subject scheduling oneon one meetings with your team members or attending an industry educational event like the annual GROW Conference I help organize every year 4 Get to work The best cure for analysis paralysis is action Dont wait for the change of the calendar year to get better Start today start this hour start now This time next year youll be glad you did See you next month